


Silence is Tarnished Brass

by SaraJaye



Category: Fire Emblem: Fuukasetsugetsu | Fire Emblem: Three Houses
Genre: Awkwardness, Developing Relationship, Dimitri Alexandre Blaiddyd is Not Okay, Eating, F/M, Marianne has terrible self-esteem, Marianne von Edmund Needs A Hug, Self-Hatred, Silence, post-Remire Village, twice shy
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-04
Updated: 2020-06-04
Packaged: 2021-03-04 04:07:43
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 770
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24537469
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SaraJaye/pseuds/SaraJaye
Summary: She blames herself for the quiet, little realizing she and the prince may have more in common than she thinks.
Relationships: Dimitri Alexandre Blaiddyd/Marianne von Edmund
Kudos: 47
Collections: FandomWeekly (2019-2020) Writing Challenge on Dreamwidth





	Silence is Tarnished Brass

They've been sitting in the dining hall for twenty minutes, her plate is still half-full, and she constantly finds herself staring at the wall instead of her dinner companion. Then she feels guilty, her stomach churns, and she has to will herself to eat more because the chefs work so hard and she doesn't want their hard work to go to waste.

She's still not sure why he's even here. He's so many things; a prince, a future ruler, a class leader, one of the best fighters in the Officer's Academy. She's just a quiet, boring girl from a minor noble house whose only worthwhile skills are healing and taking care of the horses.

_It's a wonder he hasn't choked to death on his food or developed a stomach cramp yet, from being near me,_ she thinks as she pokes at the remaining half of her fish. She dares to look at Prince Dimitri, and is surprised to see his own plate doesn't look much better than hers. The parsnips are mostly untouched, and he's eating the greens a bit at a time.

_Is he feeling sick? I should have told him not to sit down, a prince should be able to enjoy his meal without a stomach ache._

He's usually a bit more talkative than this, too, Marianne realizes. He hasn't said a word since asking if he could join her. Usually he'll talk a little and she'll try to keep up a conversation, but not this time. _Because he knows it's not worth trying to talk to someone as depressing as me,_ she thinks, before shaking her head. _No, maybe this time I should try to start a conversation myself. He came all this way to sit with me, I owe it to him and myself._

"Nothing to say?" she asks, the words escaping before she can try to put together a better starter. Dimitri's fork clatters to his plate as he looks up, and Marianne's face burns. She drops her own fork and wrings her hands, inching away from him. "I'm sorry! Please, let me try again! Um, good afternoon, your highness, I hope the meal is to your liking." Somehow that's even worse, and she covers her face with her hands, muttering an apology over and over again until his hand is suddenly on her shoulder.

"Marianne." He moves to her wrists, gently pulling her hands away from her face. "You did nothing wrong. Please, calm down." She sighs, her cheeks burning even more at the surprisingly gentle touch. " _I_ apologize for being so quiet. I've had a lot on my mind since Remire." She nods, remembering how something had _darkened_ within his temperament at the sight of such a bloodbath, overhearing the professor talking about it with Dedue later on.

"That's only natural. It was...horrifying," she murmurs. "Are you going to be all right? That is, if you want to talk about it I'll listen, but I won't force you. I-I hope I'm not being pushy." He seems to relax, though, as he tentatively moves closer to her.

Still holding her hands.

"Remire...hit a bit too close to home for me. I'll spare you the gory details, I would not want to ruin your appetite." He closes his eyes, swallowing. "It is hard not to dwell on it, and I apologize for my mood causing you worry. But the truth is, I was feeling much worse before I came to see you." She blinks.

"Truly...?"

"Even sitting in silence with you is a comfort compared to being alone with my own memories." His eyes open, the glimmer of pain in them striking such a chord within her that her own eyes fill with tears. "You've only just transferred to the Blue Lions, but already I feel safe with you, Marianne."

"Prince Dimitri-"

"Dimitri," he corrects her, squeezing her hands. "When we're alone, please, just my name is fine."

"A-all right." She manages a tiny smile. "And please, forgive my outburst earlier, I didn't know-"

"Marianne," he gently cuts her off. "You're not a mind reader. In fact, it's probably for the best you spoke up when you did. Even telling you the bare minimum has made me feel a bit better." She's used to hearing it from the people she heals, but never from Dimitri, and never for something like this.

"I'm glad, then."

He squeezes her hands once more before letting go of them, slowly, edging closer to her and pulling his plate with him. They resume eating, and this time the silence that falls over them is a soft, comfortable one.


End file.
